Alzheimer’s is a devastating ‘Brain Disease’ that affects recent memory and learning mechanisms of the brain eventually debilitating an individual. Recent surge in the incidence has been attributed to an increase in the life span which is an average learning of 80 years today. Loss of memory disables by losing identity, personality and eventually losing the self of the affected. They can’t identify anything including the most loved ones leading to horrifying experiences to the persons affected and to their families.

How is it caused?

At present 50 million are affected in the world and the numbers are expected to rise rapidly leading to severe social,economic and global health challenges soon. It is estimated that 40% of people will be affected at the age of 80 years with this condition. Originally it was described in a patient named August Deter by Dr Alois Alzheimer.

The memory store called Hippocampus (sea horse in Greek ) located in the temporal lobe of the brain gets affected first and eventually spreads to the rest of the brain. The loss of neurons and the synapses will set the progression of the disease. Normally the sensory information from the sense organs are received in the form of electrochemical energy and then the brain compiles and computes the data and projects it as information based on the stored memory and information.

Due to the loss of connectivity in the brain , such computation fails and hence the failure of recognition. It can start with difficulty in remembering simple things, misinterpretations and eventually to serious failure of recognition and remembrance of everything. The neurons in the brain are riddled with beta amyloid plaques which eventually form tangles that kill the neuron itself.

The cell death triggers an inflammatory reaction and the Microglial cells which normally do housekeeping and upkeep of the brain by removing the toxins, gets activated and turns against the brain cells itself. They will in turn destroy and clean up the entire neurons and axons progressively shrinking the brain structurally and functionally.

Best ways to prevent Alzheimer’s

Recently 30 new genes have been identified that are responsible for activating abnormal immune response by microglia as well as the Neuro inflammation. Advances in MRI imaging can identify the plaques in the brain very early. It takes nearly 10 to 15 years for the symptoms to manifest after the appearance of the plaques. Hence early diagnosis can help to identify and stall the onset of the disease.The only hope for the future lies in early prediction in those with strong family history and testing them for abnormal genes, early detection by MRI imaging and on suspicion treating Neuro inflammation aggressively.

Recent research indicates that the beta amyloid protects the brain from the invaded microbial agents. It forms the plaque to trap the microbes to protect nerve cells from any subclinical infection. CD 33 gene has been found to be responsible for triggering Neuro inflammation. So future goals should be to prevent all subclinical infections that can affect the brain, understand the microbial relations with the brain, treat the tangles with appropriate interventions and control the inflammation in order to avoid Alzheimer’s.

Ways to preserving brain health :

Lifestyle modification, good sleep for 7-8 hours, managing stress with meditation, healthy interactions with people, avoiding loneliness, walking with barefoot at least for 20 minutes in a day, good exercise, proper diet with high fibre and keep learning new things can go a long way in preserving brain health and preventing Alzheimer’s disease.

In a bid to facilitate early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and to provide comprehensive treatment, Brains has also started a unique “Memory Clinic”. This step by Brains is to mark the World Alzheimer’s Day (September 21st).

Dr. NK Venkataramana,
Founder Chairman & Chief Neurosurgeon,
Brains Hospital.

The post What is Alzheimer’s?- Best ways to prevent Alzheimer’s appeared first on Health Vision.

“ALL diseases BEGIN in the GUT”- Hippocrates.

The term “Gut Health” has become very popular in relation to both wellness and as a cause of disease conditions such as obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, metabolic syndrome and even certain types of cancers. Naturopaths, healthcare practitioners, dietitians, nutritionists are now understanding the importance of healthy gut and why it is important in our overall health and well-being.

The “GUT “ defines health: 

The “GUT “is what defines HEALTH. It is ground zero of our immune system. Only if the gut works in an optimal manner i.e. the way the food is digested and absorbed can we claim “You Are What You EAT”. Gut is so pivotal to our overall health- both physical and mental. Recent studies in scientific journals have illustrated the importance of “gut health” in regard to brain health and the central nervous system.

The Bidirectional gut brain axis wield power on our brain through multiple signaling mechanisms and it plays an important role in human brain diseases such as anxiety, depression, the way we feel pain, emotions, disorders of mood and even as a cause for Autism, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

95% of serotonin which is a neurotransmitter is made and stored in our gut. The signaling that happens between the Little Brain- the GUT and the Big Brain –can determine our energy levels, brain fog, fatigue, alertness and our cognition. So the food we eat has an effect on our day to day brain function and also can have a causative effect on allergies, autoimmune diseases such as Rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s , Ulcerative colitis etc. just to name a few.

Overuse of different medications such as antibiotics, long term use of medicines for chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity alter the beneficial microbes in the gut and cause an imbalance which in scientific terms is called as “ dysbiosis”.

Important nutrients for brain health:

1. Omega 3 fatty acids: Rich in Fish (salmon), flax seeds, chia seeds, kiwi fruit, and walnuts reduce inflammation and also play an important role in the brain development of children during early childhood.

2. Flavonoids: Cocoa, green tea, citrus fruits, dark chocolate, red wine, purple grapes, Jamun has found to improve cognition in the elderly and also improve learning and memory in ischemic stroke patients.

3. B Vitamins: Pyridoxine (B6), Folate (B12) has positive effects on memory and performance and is found in oats, wheat germ, brown rice, eggs, certain veggies , soya beans.

4. Vitamin D: Preserves cognition in the elderly and is found in fatty fish, mushrooms, fortified milk, and soya milk and cereal grains.

5. Vitamin A, C & E: These are antioxidant vitamins and are found in red and orange colored vegetables and fruits, good fats such as olive oil, sesame oil and coconut oil, and citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and amla which is the Indian gooseberry.

6. Calcium, Zinc and Selenium: Found in Nuts, cereals, meat, fish and eggs, milk and milk products like curd, panneer buttermilk, plants and vegetables help immensely in cognitive function.

7. Copper: Which is found in liver of lamb, nuts, cocoa, black pepper helps in spatial processing, learning navigation and long term memory.

8. Iron: Found in red meat, jaggery, dates, certain pulses helps in cognitive function.

Brain continuously uses glucose as its energy to function as an organ. Brain health is vital for the quality of life( QOL) at any age– we need focus, clear thinking, comprehending what happens around us, memory, good emotions like happiness, contentment and the RIGHT attitude to be of service to society and also to have a good family life. All these important brain functions are vital – whether one is in childhood, adult or senior age as this determines the QOL.

Healthy gut regulates the brain functions and emotions and hence “MINDFUL” eating loaded with good nutrients and avoiding junk foods saturated with sugar, trans fats, and empty calories will have an impact on our daily life. So every single food we eat and drink has a good or bad effect on our overall health and also on our brain health. World Microbiome Day is celebrated on June 27th every year. 
“HEAL your Microbiome and the Microbiome will HEAL you”

Sreemathy Venkatraman
Clinical Nutritionist
BRAINS Hospital,Bengaluru

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